Coming Like a Child

[Thank you to many who took a moment yesterday to respond to my posted questions about how you use this blog. If you haven’t taken a moment to do that, I’d very grateful for your feedback. It will help me know how to move forward in its continued development]

I’m sitting in my hotel room near Phoenix getting ready to lead a morning mini- spiritual retreat for couples here. I can’t think of anything I enjoy more than guiding time and providing space for men and women to be still and remember God more deeply.

In my preparations, I came across this wonderful word from an Orthodox spiritual director on why we come to God as children. Be encouraged!

“The kingdom is already granted to little children, not, I think because of the subjective qualities that we tend to appreciate in them, such as their cuteness, their smallness, or their playfulness. The kingdom is theirs, I suspect, because objectively they are vulnerable, weak, lowly, and helpless. Left to themselves, they would die. This “Ieastness,” I submit, is their title-deed to the highest place in the kingdom of God, the same God who Ii once became an infant for us, who became “least” for us on the cross.” (John Chryssavgis. Soul Mending: The Art of Spiritual Direction. Brookline: Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 2000, p. 6.)

As you come before God today, in what ways is your prayer child-like? In what ways are you coming more as adult? Pray to Abba, your heavenly Father, remembering He has anticipated your approach. He loves to be with His beloved sons and daughters.